1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a temperature sensor in which a thermistor element is supported on a wiring (a sheathed pin) for taking out a thermistor signal to the outside by joining electrode wires of the thermistor element to the wiring.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a temperature sensor of this kind is proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-88673. The temperature sensor comprises a thermistor element, electrode wires led from the thermistor element for detecting a thermistor signal and a wiring (a sheathed pin) for taking out the thermistor signal so detected to the outside, and in the temperature sensor, the thermistor element is supported on the wiring by joining the electrode wires to the wiring.
Incidentally, the aforesaid conventional temperature sensor is constructed such that a ceramic molded body is disposed around an outer circumference of the thermistor element with a gap being provided between the thermistor element and the ceramic molded body and, furthermore, that an outer circumference of the ceramic molded body is covered with a metallic cover.
Namely, since the thermistor element, that is joined to and supported on the wiring, resides in a state in which the thermistor element floats within the metallic cover, in case vibrations are applied to the temperature sensor, a load is applied to the electrode wires which support the thermistor element, leading to a risk that the electrode wires will break.
To cope with this problem, it has been proposed to fill the interior of the ceramic molded body housing the thermistor element with an inorganic adhesive so as to fix the thermistor element and the electrode wires. In this case, however, when the temperature becomes high, a tensile stress is applied to the electrode wires due to the difference in linear expansion coefficient between the electrode wires and the inorganic adhesive bonded to the electrode wires, this also leading to the risk that the electrode wires will break.